infinite universes
by Ivanne000
Summary: MultiSaku drabble collection. Chapter 9: In which a marriage falls apart, and two people find their way back to each other. KakaSaku.
1. MadaSaku - the journey to Uchiha

**Author's Note:** Hi guys, this is my first fanfiction in a long, long while. And this is my not my ~comeback~ this is me, trying to come back. Since I haven't written anything for a while, I decided to challenge myself into writing a drabble every day with our favorite kunoichi – Haruno Sakura!- and the endless male characters to pair her up with + other relationships (i.e. Tsunade, Shizune, Ino)

 **Chapter 1: MadaSaku**

* * *

 _Fact One:_ It is not easy being an Uchiha.

Sakura tore her gaze from the pond and looked at Madara at the corner of her eye. He was tense, looking at something on the grassy floor. Green eyes followed his gaze and landed on the layer of haori she had removed out of frustration earlier. The Uchiha fan stood out boldly against the dark thick fabric.

"It is heavy" Sakura whispers as she gazes back to the pond. Her toes dipped silently, making quiet ripples echo across the body of water.

Madara, on his part, bent down, his own haori crumpling and picked up the discarded fabric. His dark grey eyes looked at it silently, before turning to Sakura's back, clothed with a white crest-less fabric. Silently, he took a sit beside her and quietly says, "Yes. It is."

* * *

 _Fact Two:_ Madara gave Sakura the freedom to choose.

"Go" Madara says, the shadows on his face dancing as he stood by the flickering light of the room's torch. Rough palms slowly opened, letting go of the rosette's wrists. Startled green eyes searched the Uchiha leader's eyes while her own pale hand grasped his retreating hand, "Go where? I already decided, I choose you."

Madara, for the life of him, wants to end it there. But sometimes, he sees Sakura looking at the colorful, _warm_ and loud houses of the Senju and wonders about the seed of hesitation that must be taking root in her heart. The Uchiha are of fire, blazing and burning, but they are rarely warm, rarely laughing and sometimes, he wonders if it is he doubts more that she does.

Silently, the Uchiha takes his hand and caresses Sakura's cheek. For a moment, she leans into his touch.

"Go, meet Tobirama." Madara steps back, "And if you can find it in you- return to me."

* * *

 _Fact Three:_ Madara follows the Uchiha tradition in asking her to marry him.

This is how he asks her to be his wife; in battle regalia, with his most trusted men behind him, he enters a darkened room where she waits.

The walls are lined with dozens of unlit torches on both sides; symbolizing the darkness of the short transitioning time from one patriarch and matriarch to the next.

It is cold; symbolizing the frigid nature of fear of not having someone to look to guidance to.

It is dark; symbolizing the path that the clan will walk to if led by no one.

But that's the symbolism for the clan; it means differently for the patriarch.

At the center of the room, Sakura waits patiently, adhering to the very last kanji of tradition. She sits on a stone throne-like chair, in heavy kimono patterned with dragons and earth. Her hair flowing freely on her back, and held back by a lone flower behind her ear.

Madara stops in front of her and kneels. He keeps his head down and his posture stiff, because this is tradition, this is not just about love (although it is). A clansman hands him a dark piece of cloth and quietly, he covers his eyes and ties it tight behind his head.

Then he looks up, blindly, and asks; "Be my wife, be my light."

"Be my Uchiha matriarch."

Sakura, eyes tearing up, slides down and removes the knot behind her love's head. As the cloth comes off, she is met with Madara's closed although he is smiling, knowing the answer before he even asks.

"Yes. I'll be your wife, your light. If you'll have me as your partner for life."

Madara's eyes open and the room comes alive.

* * *

 _Fact Four:_ It is Uchiha tradition for women to give up arms after getting wed.

 _This is not weakness,_ Sakura thinks almost angrily, _nor is it surrender._

 _This is a different type of strength,_ Sakura thinks.

In front of the Uchiha clan, and facing her now and eternal husband, Sakura removes her ax from it's place on her back and with two steady hands, offers it for Madara to take-

 _This is trust._

* * *

 _Fact Five:_ Uchiha Madara's first act as patriarch of the Uchiha clan is this;

\- only to have it pushed softly back into her hands.

 _We are equals. You are my wife. My light and my partner for life._

* * *

 **End Notes:** These scenes have been in my mind for a while now, it's part of a big ass story that I probably would never write, but I'll try to? If you have anyone you want to pair up with Sakura, just leave a review with a prompt! Also, leave a review if you want to see more this universe of MadaSaku!


	2. NaruSaku - of a life unfulfilled

**Author's Note:** None. Just that I haven't stayed up this late writing since I graduated from college, and back then that was for my thesis – which I don't know where my friends are keeping in ?. To be honest, I miss being a student but yay salary!

 **Chapter 3:** NaruSaku

* * *

"You sure took your time, baka."

Naruto's heart thumps fast, almost painful in his chest at the sound of the voice. Sweet and familiar. A voice he hasn't heard in a long, long time, except in his dreams. Taking a deep breathe, Naruto turns and takes the several steps on the cobblestone stairs and reaches where she is.

Sakura looks the same as the day they lost her. Wearing their 6th year uniform, her hair immaculate and tucked behind her right ear as she always did, she stands at the top of the chairs, waiting, as she had for the past decades.

"Hi, Sakura-chan. I'm sorry I took so long." Naruto smiles, and for a moment he is sixteen again and not thirty-six and he reaches for her hand –

\- only to have his hand go through. Like a blade sliding through thin air.

He chokes back the tears that he had been keeping the moment he entered the hallowed grounds of Konoha Academy. Sakura, on her part, her eyes softens and glistens, and if spirits could cry, Naruto thinks that she would've shed tears by then.

But then she smiles and says, "I thought you were never going to visit me."

* * *

"I met your children" Sakura starts, as they walk around the academy's courtside. After trying to talk inside one of the empty prefect's rooms, only for the students to crowd outside trying to catch a glimpse of the war hero, Uzumaki Naruto, the two old friends had to use the Invisibility Cloak to sneak out the building.

Well, Naruto had to use it. One of the perks of being a ghost is the ability to disappear and re-appear at will.

"Boruto looks so much like you. Has your broom skills too, the prefects had to fish him out of the lake last week. And Himawari is the sweetest Ravenclaw I've ever met. And I've met a lot." Sakura laughs and floats in front of Naruto, "Hey. What's wrong?"

Naruto sniffs and looks at Sakura, again, he is struck by how much he wants to touch this girl, like he's just a boy again and not a man, not a father. "They would've played with you and teme's kids if -"

Sakura's eyes soften, "Naruto, don't." The pinkette raises a translucent hand to touch the blonde man, and Naruto swears that he could feel her, even though he cannot. "Even if I had survived, we wouldn't have been together. You should know that by now." Smiling, she pulls away, "How is he by the way?"

"Still brooding. But he's getting better, he's been an Auror for like five years now?" Naruto answers absent mindedly, looking up the big full moon hanging over them.

"Five years?" Naruto turns to a suddenly stiff Sakura, then Sakura sadly smiles and says, "It's been that long huh? I guess time works a little differently here."

The blonde swallows, and sits at the stray log they found. Time does work differently. And suddenly, he is struck by the knowledge of how lonely his Sakura-chan might have been for the past decades. Left by the living and stuck as a 16 year old casualty of the war while her friends grow up and grow old. Stuck forever in time, and tied to the place where she drew her last breathe.

He should've saved her, he thinks, his fists clenched.

Either that or he should've just died with her. An eternity of running the halls of Konoha Academy with her is not a bad after life, he thinks.

"I know what you're thinking." Sakura sighs, "You couldn't have saved me, Naruto. He was too fast, and you were going against Madara with Sasuke. I was at the other side of the academy."

Naruto bit his lip, trembling, "I could've at least… I should've at least had the chance to." When the battle was over, only then did they find her body, lying under the sun as the crowd behind them rejoiced. It was unfair. They wouldn't have survived if not for Sakura's knowledge, and yet they didn't have the decency to mourn for her at that moment.

For a while, it was silent. Then Sakura speaks, "You married Hinata. I knew you'd make a good couple."

Naruto smiles, bittersweet. Hinata is kind, and a good wife and mother to his kids. She was there when he broke down when Sakura died. She was there when he couldn't even attend the memorial in the Academy in fear of seeing Sakura, floating around. And he loves her, just not—just, he couldn't forget his first love.

"You know what I feel for you right, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura smiles, nods. "You meant felt, right?"

The sting of a life unfulfilled hurts.

Cerulean eyes shines and Naruto shakes his head, "Feel. You know that I'll always love you right? Even though saying that now as an old man makes me feel like a perv." He laughs and Sakura giggles.

Green, green eyes (those eyes will never change, Naruto has always known) dances as Sakura scans Naruto's features. Crow's eyes around his vibrant blue eyes, laugh lines from years of laughing, and a subdued blonde for his hair,- he has grown older and she is glad.

"You aged well" Sakura teases, "Like fine sake. I wish I could've seen it though."

 _I wish I could've grown old with you though._

Naruto smiles and puts his warm- alive- tan hand over her translucent one and says, "Me too, Sakura-chan. Me too."

* * *

 **End Note:** Harry Potter-verse! In which Sakura dies in the war inside the Konoha Academy and the two survive.


	3. TobiramaSaku - there is no honor here

**Author's Notes:** I am currently writing this chapter instead of transcribing audio files from work, because I'm adult like that. Hah. Kidding aside, I'm writing this just right after I upload the first chapter since I have a feeling that I might not be able to write ~daily~, it's better to have a stock of chapters. Lol. Anyway.

* * *

 **Chapter 2:** TobiramaSakura

He knows, long before he sensed her chakra coming towards his direction.

He knows that she has made her decisions and Sakura is nothing if not thorough in decision-making, and she is nothing if not steadfast and loyal – and these are only few of the non-reasons of why Tobirama loves her.

He knows that he is not chosen, and yet, he still hopes that she'll come and prove him wrong like she always does.

"Tobirama." Sakura calls, stopping a few inches away from him. Their shoulders barely touching and yet, he feels the heat of her body, so warm that it permeates through his armor.

The white haired male quietly glances at the rosette, noting the red rims around her eyes, and the puffiness of her cheeks. She has been crying. And a selfish part of him is glad, that this decision is not easy for her.

Because it means that he has weight in her heart, that maybe, even if she had not chosen him, she had considered him. Even if be the slightest of inclinations.

"I—I'm sorry." She starts, and Tobirama can't take it anymore.

"Don't. Sakura. No amount of apologies will ever recover me from the pit that you plan to leave me in."

Sakura flinches and turns to him with surprise written on her features. There is pain.

Tobirama is ruthless in pain as he is in battle and ploughs on, because it is true, he will never recover and there will be no other love or no other woman. He wonders idly if this pain would've mattered less had it not been the Uchiha who stole her heart but another ninja. But the truth is, no matter who she chose, it would've hurt this much nonetheless.

"You have destroyed me." Tobirama's red eyes drinks her in while his hand reaches up to her face, cradles her cheek which now has streaks of tears being shed for him. His brother will not be proud of him, he thinks absently, purposely hurting the woman he loves just so she could feel a fraction of the pain she is putting him through.

For once, perhaps being noble should take a backseat.

"You have destroyed me." He repeats and relishes at the fresh batch of tears his statement summons. "I will never love another woman, and anyone who dares to make the mistake of loving me will suffer."

"Tobirama- please,-" Sakura pleads and he knows, she wants him happy but doesn't she understand that happiness means being her choice. Being with her? But she does understand, she just can't give it.

"No, Sakura. Please." Tobirama breaks, lifting his other hand to fully cradle her porcelain face. "Choose me. Love me. I beg of you." Desperately, he searches her face and her eyes for any sign of love for him.

There is none.

Sakura covers his hands with his own, "I'm really sorry. Tobirama, I beg of you, open your heart for someone else—"

"How could I when you have it and have chosen to abandon it in a place that I will never find?" The statement cuts, but Tobirama's voice is soft, pleading like the howling wind against an unmovable mountain.

He steps away, forcing the door he wants to enter, to close. It was high time to end something that had never begun.

"Had you met me first, would you have chosen me?" Tobirama asks, eyes shining perhaps with tears, Sakura couldn't tell as her own eyesight is blurred with her own.

"You are not a hard man to love." Sakura answers. Tobirama nods, turning back and jumping into the foliage before he closes his eyes and lets his tears fall.

* * *

 **End Notes:** And this is how the conversation from Fact 3 (?) in Chapter 1 went. Poor Tobi. But no worries, he will have his happy ending in the coming chapters!


	4. NaruSaku - jetlag

**Author's Notes:** Got this idea after my friend and I saw this foreign guy having lunch in front of his laptop. Now, he could've been watching a show while eating but, the romantic in me just can't resist the idea of LDR. So here you go!

 **Chapter 4:** NaruSaku

* * *

Breathes coming out in rapid successive huffs, Sakura cursed herself inwardly for not allotting enough time for her travel. But then again, she backtracked, she did allot enough time, it was just her stupid classmate's fault for extending the meeting that didn't end up with a solution.

Shoving past a lingering group of high school students, the pinkette turned left and her eyes brightened at the site of her apartment complex. Skipping the elevator, Sakura jumped up the stairs, two steps at a time until she reached her door.

Once inside, all her stuff went to a corner and her laptop was turned on – Skype- log in – then -

"Hey! Naruto, sorry I'm late! It's just my stupid classmate—"

From the other side of the screen, Naruto smiled brightly at his busy girlfriend and waved his tan hand. "It's fine, Sakura-chan. I got an extended off for when I covered Kiba's shift."

Sakura smiled, "Yeah, I remember. How is he by the way?"

"Same old, same old. Still in love with his dog—"

"Hey, Akamaru's adorable!" The pinkette giggled for a second and paused, her green eyes looked around the room of her boyfriend from the other side of the world. "Naruto, have you been cleaning?"

"Eheh…" Naruto laughed hesitantly, pushing his face closer to the camera, "What do you mean, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Back off the camera, Naruto. Seriously, you can't live in a pigsty forever, you might get sick. And who will take care of you there when I'm over here?"

The blonde smiled fondly at his worried girlfriend, "Hai, hai. I'll clean tomorrow morning, do you have your dinner?"

Sakura nodded and reached for a bento she pre-prepared earlier this morning, "I tried the recipe you sent me last time, I don't think I got it accurately though." The pinkette held up the open bento to the camera and showed Naruto the curry and rice balls she made.

"Oh hey, the rice balls actually look like rice balls this time!" Naruto grinned. Sakura pouted at the jab, but was silently proud of her progress. The last rice ball she made was… well, not rice ball-looking.

"Do you have your breakfast?" Sakura asked as she set down her bento on her table. Naruto nodded and produced a Tupperware from underneath his table, he opened it and held up the box to the camera.

"We made this last night! It's called Arancini eggs!" Naruto paused and pouted, "I miss ramen."

Sakura laughed, "Itadakimasu" she murmured, and turned to Naruto. Of course, her boyfriend would be studying under a 5-star michellin chef and he'll still be craving for ramen.

The two spent several minutes eating in silence while catching up about their day. From Sasuke dropping by the hospital – _"That bastard should get a girlfriend of his own" Naruto pouted, "He has a boyfriend, Naruto. Haven't I told you about that yet?" "EHHH?"_ – to the surprise visit of Naruto's kind-of uncle/grandfather Jiraiya just last week _–"Don't tell me you read that porn, Naruto." "Eheh, he needs a proofreader for French?" "Liar."_

"I'll make you ramen when you get home." Sakura promised, like she always did, as they finish up their respective meals. The sky outside Sakura's window had turned from indigo to pitch black, sprinkled with few stars and the sky outside Naruto's window had turned from pale yellow to bright.

It was time to go.

Naruto grinned, "Yeah, try not to poison the best chef in the world, Sakura-chan."

"Ha-ha." Sakura rolled her eyes fondly, "As if the best chef can't be saved by the best surgeon in the world."

"I miss you, baka." The pinkette murmured as she touched the screen where Naruto's cheek was. Naruto smiled, and leaned against the virtual touch. "I miss you too, Sakura-chan."

"Do your best today-" Sakura began,

"—and do your best every day." Naruto ended.

Someday, when Naruto's done with his internship in France and she with her medical school, they'll have all the time in the world to eat together in a quaint little house back here in Japan. He'll drop off the kids before going to their restaurant, while she will pick them up and prepare food and wait for him to come home.

But for now, while they're both chasing their dreams, they have dinners/breakfasts spent together, in front of the computer screen, occasional visits and daily emails and that's enough.

* * *

 **End Notes:** I had a hard time deciding how to end this one, so, if you have any comments, please leave it as a review! Thank you!


	5. SasuSaku(Naru) - parallel universe 1

**Author's Notes:** This idea came to me after reading Reincarnation by Winged Collette. The idea of time travel and parallel universes (and the trouble they cause) appeal to me so I wonder, what if… Sakura isn't married to Sasuke in another universe?

 **Chapter Five:** SasuSaku(Naru) (part 1)

* * *

"Sasuke-san, can we talk?"

Sasuke looked up from polishing his sword and stared minutely at the pink haired woman half-hiding by their living room doorframe. "Of course." he said, gesturing to the dining room to his left.

Silently, Sakura nodded, entered the room and made her way to dining table. She sat herself down and waited for the dark haired male. Once seated, Sasuke entwined his fingers and set them in front of him. Regarding her with a calm expression that she knew, in the one month she had spent in his home, meant that he was thinking deeply.

Sasuke was called back from a mission by Naruto stating that it was an emergency. A family emergency, thinking it was Sarada (who was in a mission at that time), Sasuke literally flew all the way from Suna to Konoha only to find his highly distressed daughter crying about her mother not remembering her – or him.

Or Konoha itself.

Needless to say, it was an eventful month.

Steeling herself, Sakura looked at Sasuke and sighed, "First off, I would like to thank you for your hospitality and understanding. It has been a hard month for me, and I understand that it's hard for you and Sarada-chan as well."

Sarada-chan.

His Sakura called their daughter Sarada.

After the goddess of wisdom, she said.

"And I know that you've been curious about my life in that other dimension, so… um. Since Naruto…san and Kakashi-san have already figured out a way to send me back, and send Sakura of this world back… I thought maybe…"

"Hmm?"

"Maybe… it'll be safe for me to answer any of your questions." Sakura finished, "I mean—just the harmless ones I guess." She shrugged, and again, Sasuke was struck by the familiarity of the movement, that this Sakura was so similar with his Sakura even though they never met.

It made him wonder how many similarities there was between their lives, the people and their worlds.

For a few minutes, silence reigned as Sasuke weighed the possible repercussions surrounding her offer… it's not like he has any particular interest about the cars and airplanes she mentioned before…

"The… Sasuke in your world… how is he?"

Sasuke noticed the clenched jaw of the Sakura in front of him and the way she bit her lower lip, as if not startled that he went straight to the topic of the question. "Are you married to him in your world?"

Sakura looked at him with green eyes identical to his Sakura that Sasuke missed his wife dearly. "No, we are not. He is married to someone else."

Somehow, although this did not surprise Sasuke, remembering how she reacted in the hospital when he announced that they were, indeed, married. But the sharp fear of the realization that in another lifetime, he was not married to Sakura and that they never had Sarada, almost toppled him over.

Sasuke steadied his composure and eyed the gold band around this Sakura's ring finger, "But you are married."

"Yes. To…" Sakura paused, not knowing whether she should say it or not, "…someone else."

"Who?"

Sakura fidgeted and played with the ring around her ring finger, "To Naruto."

Of course. That explains a lot. The imploring eyes that followed his best friend's every move since they met and the clenched fists and forced smiles when she met Hinata and Boruto…

"Sasuke left me at the altar. He didn't love me." Sakura stated, in a detached cold way and Sasuke wondered if he was destined to hurt this woman no matter which dimension or universe they were in.

He saw this Sakura sigh and ran her fingers through her chopped hair, "But… I see how much you love… your Sakura. So I guess, that Sasuke was right when he said that we weren't meant to be in our world." Sakura smiled blearily at the man in front of her.

After all, you don't forget your first love.

Sasuke nodded, not denying it. It sounded a lot like what his younger self would've said. "Do you have children?"

"No, we don't. I can't—"

"Teme!" Sakura flinched at the sudden shout and pounding at the door and Sasuke muttered a curse and stood up to open it.

"What, dobe?" Sasuke glared, half in annoyance and half in unfiltered (and unjustified?) jealousy. At their doorway, Naruto stood disheveled and panting.

"We have a problem."

Naruto moved to the side only to reveal another blonde head, identical blue eyes and tan skin.

And a snarl.

"Where's my wife?"

* * *

 **End Notes:** In case it wasn't clear, Naruto of the civilian!verse was summoned/plucked from his universe and now, looking for civilian!verse Sakura. Oh no. The awkward-ness and tension ensues!


	6. InoSaku - the birth of Inojin

**Author's Notes:** I always loved InoSaku friendship – in canon and in fanfiction – so I decided to make one. Ino was, for sure, around for Sakura when she was alone with Sarada and Sakura was there for Ino if she was alone.

 **Chapter Six:** InoSaku (friendship)

* * *

Before Sakura even entered the threshold of her apartment, she could already feel Ino's distraught chakra – fizzling and crackling underneath her roof. Sighing, the pinkette quietly closed the door and tiptoed into the room that she and her best friend have been sharing for the last two months.

Approaching the bed, Sakura saw Ino curled into a ball before unfurling herself and sitting up, careful of the bump on her belly. "Hey, Pig. You're stressing out again—"

Unbiddenly, Ino grasped Sakura's jounin sweater and pulled her into a half hug. "Forehead- you're late."

Sakura sighed, "Sorry. There was a sandstorm at Suna – ("There's always sandstorms in that place, forehead.") and Gaara asked me to stay a while."

Surprise colored Sakura's feature as she felt warm tears soak through her clothes as the blonde tightened her hug, "I can't lose you too."

Sakura's eyes softened as she slid down to get even with Ino. As they sit and crouch eye to eye, Sakura threaded her fingers through the loose blonde slivers of hair, "You can—" Ino made a sound of protest, a sound between a choke and a sob "—but, I'll do my best so you won't have to. Now, what do you want for dinner?"

"Ramen." Ino sniffed and rolled back to bed, "My back hurts."

"Seriously? That's what my nephew wants?" Sakura grinned jokingly as she turned back to the kitchen.

On her way, she passed by a frame hanging on the wall by her hallway. It was a frame of Team Kakashi/Yamato/ 7 or as Naruto put it; Team KakaYama. It was one of those very rare occurrences that they were all around. Kakashi wasn't under a pile of paper work, Sasuke was home, Naruto wasn't training to be the Hokage, Sakura wasn't in the hospital and, Yamato and Sai weren't in covert missions.

Sakura paused at the sight of her last team mate, his pale face and courtesy smile. The former ROOT member has been in a mission for four months – two months longer than he was supposed to be. Two months since his last missive, just around the same time that Ino found out she was pregnant.

A pale hand ran exasperatedly across Sakura's hair, "Sai, you bastard, you better come home soon or I swear to god –"

* * *

"—I'll kill you if you fucking die!" Sakura growled, at the back of her mind, she knew it didn't work out that way and Naruto pointed it out, half-delirious with adrenaline.

"I don't think it works that way, Sakura-chan." Naruto grinned, teeth bloodstained while pushing the patient's bed through the halls of the hospital.

"Shut up, Naruto." The medic growled, her hands glowing as she pushed back her friend's organs back to their proper place. Sai was – if possible- paler than ever, black hair reaching his shoulder blades and lips blue.

The emergency alarm from her beeper had woken Sakura at the wee hours of that morning. Bummed but alert Sakura had jumped from rooftop to rooftop until she reached the hospital. Without even managing to change into her medic outfit, Sakura all but bolted to the prone figure lying down on the hospital bed.

As Sakura pumped chakra into Sai – when had they gotten in the emergency room?– she recapped what she had gathered from the frantic rush to the room; Naruto and Sasuke found him in one of the abandoned laboratories of Orochimaru, which, obviously, as it turned out, was not so abandoned after all. The details get fuzzy after that fact, but those details were glaring at her right now; broken ribs, ruptured kidney, a collapsed lung and several fractures – it was a miracle he made it to Konoha.

So focused on the task at hand, with several other medics working around her, Sakura didn't even flinch at the sound of Ino's screech from the other side of the emergency room.

"Let me see him!" Ino screamed, and Sakura could hear the struggles against the tiles of the hospital floor. Surely, it was Shikamaru or Chouji that was holding her back. The pinkette had a medic send the two a message asking them to accompany Ino and keep her from getting stressed—

-which was obviously not working right now.

"Pig!" Sakura shouted, not taking her attention away from Sai, "Settle the fuck down, and let me bring your husband back to life!"

* * *

Almost half a day passed before they could call the operation off and declare Sai to be stable, and Sakura was about ready to pass out.

Opening the door to her apartment, the pinkette felt her best friend before she even saw her. Sitting on the couch she had planned to collapse on, was Ino, very pregnant and obviously distraught.

"Before you even ask, yes, he's stable. You can see him tomorrow. No, I don't know the mission details. But he's fine – physically." Sakura paused at the last part; they both know that people can be physically fine but never mentally, or emotionally. And who knows what happened to Sai during those two undocumented two months.

Ino was silent, stiff, as if she did not hear anything that the pinkette just said. "Forehead, how much chakra do you have left?"

Sakura blinked, "Not much. I'm about to pass out so…"

Ino turned to Sakura, stood up and gripped the pinkette's shoulder, "Is it enough to deliver a baby?"

"A what?" Sakura glanced at the puddle beneath her friend, "Now?"

* * *

"And that, Inojin, was how you were born." Ino grinned at her son's flabbergasted expression. "So, don't panic so much that your Auntie Sakura saw your pee-wee—"

"—Mom!"

The blonde woman laughed and patted her child's head, softly, as not to shake him. His injuries after all were the main reason that this story was told. Sakura had to re-dress the wounds that start from below his pelvis to his calves, and draw the remaining poison from the weapon that was used.

The poison, well, unfortunately travelled to some of his, uh, more private parts.

"—again, don't be embarrassed. Your Auntie saw _everything_ even before me. She did hold you first you know?"

 _And she held me too._

* * *

 **End Notes:** This could've been longer. Hmm.


	7. NaruSakuUchi - let me save him and i'll-

**Author's** **Notes:** So, this is also a part of a big-ass story that I will probably never write where the Uchiha boys needs Sakura to she's a _giver,_ the only one that matches their energy. Which they need to live. So they took her away from the Senju.

* * *

Sakura begs them to let her see Naruto and not surprisingly, they say no.

With wet lashes and flushed cheeks, she murmurs quietly, asking them to let her see the love of her life but they are unyielding.

Sasuke expects her to rage against it, like a whirlwind battering down a village. He expects her to trash the immaculate room that they provided, to tear down the curtains, rip the tatami mats and smash the vases.

But Sakura doesn't.

Shisui visits her in her room – _cage, my prison_ she said, and if anyone of them flinched, it went unnoticed- and tries to engage her in conversation. Flirting up a storm that, had it been months ago, would've at least fished a small smile out of her pursed lips.

But Sakura doesn't.

Itachi sits with her, sometimes, reading her excerpts from books that she once itched to touch. He reads her poems, novels and songs about _forgiveness._ Asking for something but never out loud and Sakura who was once quick to forgive –

-doesn't.

Madara doesn't visit her nor does he have any expectations of her. Instead, he watches her during the rare times that she goes out for air. He watches how she longs for the sun, even with all the moons surrounding her. He watches her wilt.

So when Sakura, strong, unyielding, beautiful and kind Sakura, begs once again with tears running down her cheeks to _please, please let me see him and I'll yield- please –_ it wasn't Itachi or Shisui who relents, it is Madara.

* * *

They bring her to the Senju residence without the pomp and shine with which they took her from it. It is Sasuke – who she once loved and maybe, _desperately_ \- still loves even if just a bit he thinks – who opens the shoji doors for her. It is Shisui who holds her hand as she sits by Naruto's bedside. It is Itachi who gestures that they leave and it is Madara who refuses.

They stand at the corner of the room, quiet as the woman they love holds the hand of the man _she_ loves.

Naruto's complexion is pallid, so far and so sick from his tan complexion that they all know that he won't be lasting very long.

(Sakura thinks it's cruel for them, cruel for them to only let her see him when it has come to _this._ )

Naruto's blue eyes open blearily to the beautiful sight of his former fiancé –and forever love- and says, "Sakura-chan" like a prayer.

"Hello, Naruto." Sakura says and _smiles,_ as she threads her pale fingers through Naruto's sweaty blonde locks. Naruto sits up, glances at the corner of the room and wearily shakes his head. "I see."

And that is the only acknowledgement they receive.

Even in the darkness of the room, it's as if Sakura glows, Shisui thinks. She glows in a way that even the moon in the Uchiha compound couldn't achieve. She blooms here, and Shisui thinks they may indeed be cruel after all.

"Let me heal him." Sakura asks, and on the tip of their tongues is refusal until she adds, "And I will come willingly. I will open my heart – " her voice breaks, "—if you let me heal him."

Naruto protests - "No, no, no – Sakura-chan" and "I can't let you do that, if you do that – you will die."

And this is true; after all, they took her from him because of her energy, the only match they have left-

Sakura turns to Naruto, eyes wet, and holds his hand against her cheek, "But if I don't, then you… will die."

(- but this is what Naruto and Sakura don't know, they kept her –didn't push her – not only because they need her for their survival of their clan but also because;

Sakura is kind. When she thought that none of them were around, she held the hand of a small Uchiha girl, who was trying not to cry because of the cut on her knee. Sakura whispered words of encouragement, as she coaxed the skin to knit together.

Sakura is wise. What she lacks physically, she makes up with knowledge. She beats Itachi in shogi and gives Madara a run for his money during war – " _You're a strategist." "You honestly didn't think it was only Shikamaru?"_

And most of all, Sakura is loving and for a clan with a curse of hatred? It was too much to pass up. )

Madara steps forward, "You won't run? Or fight? Or conspire?"

Sakura lets out a shaky breathe, "I will try. I will accept the fate you give me." Then without turning to anyone of them, "Just let me save him."

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto pleads, tears brimming in his eyes, "Please don't- I can, I'll be better and I'll get you back and –"

"Naruto, please…let me do this. You… need to lead the Senju. They need their leader, their patriarch." Sakura pauses, and cradles his face, "A wife is replaceable, a leader is not."

Heart in his throat, Naruto shakes his head, "But I love you."

Sakura smiles, "And I you. But we are not to be in this lifetime."

* * *

"Do you think… she'll ever love us like that?" Shisui asks Itachi as they post guard outside Naruto's room.

Probably not, Itachi thinks, because what are we but her glorified captors? Parasites feeding on her life energy, with nothing to give back in return but sorrow and grief.

But he says, "Perhaps, she said she will try. And she—"

"—always stands by her words." Sasuke finishes.

"Besides," Madara says, "it's not like she'll have a choice."

Then they hear this and maybe their heart breaks a little;

"I love you. I love you. My sun, my light. My love." Sakura murmurs as she puts Naruto to sleep and walks away.

* * *

 **End Notes:** So yeah. Expect a few more entries of this Energy!verse.


	8. MadaSaku 2 - dragons

**Author's Notes:** Yeaaah, so the daily thing didn't pan out because I've been writing for several _other_ things in my life re: work, internship and my novel (Yaaas bitch, I got a novel hehehe)

 **Chapter 8:** MadaSaku

* * *

When it came for Sakura's turn to receive her companion, she honestly couldn't say that she wasn't disappointed.

Hefting the opal-colored egg, the eight year old glanced around the village plaza. Kids her age were cuddling with their own assigned companions, patting them as the creatures flit around them, claws landing on their shoulders, wings and scales glittering under the noon sun.

Dragons.

" _Take care of him. And when he comes, he will take care of you too."_

As days and months – and years go by, Sakura's egg – as dubbed by Naruto, _that idiot_ \- only continued to grow in size and Sakura from years of warming it in a nice basket by the her fireplace (when it had only been at the length of half an eight year old girl), had to eventually move it lie beside her at night.

(Yes, it would've been logical to just build a bigger basket, but at the length the egg was growing? No way was Sakura going to weave one basket per week. Not gonna happen.)

"Really, you'd think Ino-pig would've gone tired bragging about her dragon after the first few years – months even!- but no," Sakura drawled, "Up until now she does it!"

Sakura grabbed a ribbon from the basket on her desk and wrapped it around her hair, "Fine, Sai is a great dragon! But his human form is so… rude." The pinkette growled, remembering the first time she met Ino's dragon's human form – he called her 'ugly'! Asshole.

Green eyes glanced at the mirror, surveying her reflection. Satisfied, Sakura was about to turn to her door for the village festival, when she caught a movement at the corner of her eye.

Edging near her bed, Sakura rubbed her eyes to dispel any sleep lingering – making sure her eyes were telling her the truth. Her egg was shaking! So hard that it's rattling her wooden bed.

" _When it's time, sit beside your egg, wait for him."_ Chiyo had said.

So Sakura gently sat on her bed and rubbed consoling rubs on her egg, "Hey, no need to rush. Ino's just being a bitch – normal."

As if understanding her, the egg's shakes lessened, but it was replaced by thrumming. As if… Sakura gasped, a hairline break appeared on her egg! Panic settled in before being replaced by sudden calmness. She waited 10 years for her dragon. She can wait for a few more measly seconds.

Her egg is the size of a human adult, but surely, Sakura thought as she fished out some blankets from her drawer, surely, her dragon won't be so big. Or his human form older than her! It's simply unheard of.

As cracks continued to appear all over the shell of the egg, Sakura remained transfixed, sitting patiently by its side. She'll have to take care of him, she thought, teach him all about the world and hold his hand as he first learns how to walk. Slowly, a liquid seeps out of the cracks, ruining Sakura's bed sheets. Drips turns to a puddle and soon – a bright light breaks free from the egg and it completely shatters.

Sakura tearfully smiled at the black dragon curled up inside, unaware of its birth. She wouldn't be able to lift him off her bed yet, but she can keep him warm. She covered his body with a blanket and curled up beside him.

"Finally… Hello, Madara."

* * *

 **End Notes:** Um. Ta-da?


	9. KakaSaku - you were right

**Author's Note:** I've been playing with this idea; a divorcee! Sakura and Kakashi being Sarada's adviser in middle school. Romantic? I don't know. Maybe.

 **Chapter 9:** KakaSaku

* * *

"You were right, you know."

Kakashi silently regarded his companion with a tilt of his head. The corridor was quiet, and the afternoon light was painting the halls with orange hues. His students' papers have been graded, hidden inside his desk drawer. It was the end of the day.

Sakura sighed, leaning against the window of the classroom.

It wasn't that long ago that Sakura was a normal sight in a room that looks exactly like this. In her sailor uniform, young and naive with her hair reaching her waist. Has it really been twelve years? Twelve years since she graduated high school, since she married her childhood sweetheart – since she and Kakashi -

"We were too young – Sasuke and I."

-what were she and Kakashi again?

The silver haired male took a deep breathe, swallowing a misplaced sense of pride. "For what it's worth, I didn't want to be."

The pinkette glanced back at him and laughed quietly knowing his lie, "It doesn't mean a lot, but thanks anyway."

She paused, "He's getting married this July. He asked me to bring a date-" Sakura laughed, a self-deprecating type of laugh, "-as if I have someone to bring."

Kakashi tensed, paused from fishing out his Icha Icha from his messenger bag. As if a rubber band snapped, he stood up and grabbed Sakura's arm, pushed her against the wall with anger barely contained, "What are you doing here? What do you want from me?"

It was enough to lose her once. To be torn between his job, his honor and everything that would've and could've made him happy all those years ago.

He wouldn't survive doing it again.

Had Sakura been that eighteen year old, she would've looked at him with fear in her doe green eyes. Would've froze up and trembled. But she's not eighteen anymore, she's thirty and Kakashi's not her teacher any more than she is his student.

There was nothing to lose any more.

Sakura ripped her arm free from his hold and stared at him, pinning him under her gaze. Slowly, as if faced with a cornered animal, Sakura laced her fingers with Kakashi's and reveled in how he surrendered, melting into her.

"What do I want, you ask?"

Kakashi made a strangled noise at the back of his throat as Sakura's forehead touched his collarbone.

"The same thing you do."

* * *

 **End Notes:** Was it an amicable divorce? Maybe. It's a love unfulfilled, they're just trying to pick up where they left off.


End file.
